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Here after a long time the first EP release on Best Record containing new unreleased music. Afrodesia project born from a close collaboration between Periodica Records and Best Italy featuring Mystic Jungle & Whodamanny.
Afrodesia took inspiration from the italian afro-movement that lasted for few years during mid-eighties expecially from those songs produced at the legendary Les Folies Studios in Milan. Afrodesia sounds balearic boogie afro and cosmic with heavy use of original past synths and drum machines programmed and played by Dario Di Pace, Raffaele Arcella and real acoustic instruments thanks to the musicians : Giulio Neri
Tenor Saxophone and vocals), Andrea Farias
Guitar), Davide Di Sauro
Bass) and the late George Aghedo
Percussion).

For our fifth release, P&f Recordings is pleased to welcome Berlin-based musician, producer, and DJ, Alex Kassian. Over the past few years, Kassian has made a name for himself in Berlin and beyond as a solo act, as well as with his project Opal Sunn, via a clutch of well received, dancefloor-focused 12s. But on our first release of 2021, Kassian swaps the techy pulse of the German capital for a sound that’s altogether more melodic and atmospheric. Side A kicks off with 'Leave Your Life (Lonely Hearts Mix)' which began as a way for the producer to realize some of his early—and so far unrequited—dreams of playing in a rock band. Next up he delivers 'Leave Your Life (Dance Mix)', which ups the energy and echoes some of the production that made the musician’s 'Oolong Trance' (Love on the Rocks) one of 2020’s best club tunes. On the flip, the gorgeous 'Spirit of Eden' unfurls like a lost Lyle Mays classic, but with a mesmerizing loop that keeps the song’s feet placed firmly on the dancefloor. Concluding the EP is a bass-heavy remix from none other than U.S. dub legend Bill Laswell. 'Eden’s' melodic focus is underpinned by a propulsive groove and filtered through Laswell's trademark sonic dynamics. The EP, comes packaged in a full-color jacket from Parisian artist Alexis Jamet with OBI strip.

Poly Dance Theatre speeds up the tempo (perhaps in search of lost time) and so here already the first announcement for the next release: Pol008, called "Le Commerce" (The Business).

It's a very special record. Beyond the deep bass line, the efficient ryhtmics and the ghostly apparitions of dubbed-out commercial romantic melodies, this 10" is above all an object-question, a small political gesture of sabotage. Be careful. Be careful. Rare! Very very very rare! even unique! (…300 copies)

Prepare yourself "mentally", as the EP contains 4x the same track (and that's all). A track that spins. A track that does the trick. An eternal return. Difference and repetition? All this is a opportunity to question consumption, especially in the "world of music", the "world of records", the "world of DJs", the "world of nightlife"... and so on. Production, distribution, consumption. Objects. Things. A history from the 60s to today. Where are we now? Still here: Organizing lack in the abundance of production. Lack. Abundance. A history of desires. And music? What's its role? What do we want? What do you want?

On the cover, there are poems/collages about commerce, scarcity, abundance, commodity fetishism, an insulting letter and other little things. The album is due for release at the end of June.

The kind of track that makes you want to know what kind of morning routine Apiento has on a weekday, "The Orange Place" is simply an underground dancefloor classic of the 2010's that makes you realise something very special was going on with Paul Byrne's Astrological charts at the time. In his innocent words: "This was made in 2013 in a studio in East London. It was sort of made for like dark clubs that just have that glowing light which is why it was named ‘The Orange Place’. It’s fun to hear in the club as you know what it is from the first conga hits." A galloping chugger known to do serious damage on well oiled dancefloors like Pikes in Ibiza with DJ Harvey at the reins. Pure Sleazy Belgian Indiana Jones vibes, impossible to forget and very timeless, if you didn't get in on the first pressings, don't sleep on another chance. Now with full cover artwork and additional dubbed out afro cosmic remix by Castro.

Becker & Mukai is a coming of titans. Parisian cinema composer Jean-Gabriel Becker, best known for his work alongside Massive Attack on acclaimed film soundtracks and recorded with John Foxx, teams up with Susumu Mukai, one of London’s most sought after musicians, whose list of collaborators includes Floating Points, Vanishing Twin, Alexis Taylor and Fimber Bravo.
Together they’ve created fresh new music that floats effortlessly above traditional genre delineation, with a dubbed-out and experimental melange of modern acid house, post punk, global grooves and clattering beats.
After releasing their first EP ‘Eyes’ in 2018, and their collaborative EP of space-disco-meets-experimental-electronics with label mates Auf Togo in 2019, the duo are now ready to release their tentacular debut album, ‘Time Very Near’, on SaS Recordings.
Still not complying to genres, ‘Time Very Near’ gathers sounds and inspiration from an ever-expanding palette of influences, assembled into something amorphously intangible that’s simultaneously refreshing and sharp, meandering and cosmic, futuristic but timelessly vintage.

Claremont 56’s latest release is very much a family affair. It sees Idjut Boy Conrad McDonnell – a regular remixer of Claremont 56 releases since the label’s inception – serve up two spaced-out, dub-wise revisions of a little known cut by Bison, the imprint’s very own “super-group”. The 12” has extra emotional resonance for Bison’s Paul ‘Mudd’ Murphy and Ben Smith, as it marks the band’s first release since the passing of fellow founder members Holger Czukay and Ursula Kloss.
Clutching his cherished space echo and tape delay units, McDonnell has delivered two tasty new dubs of “Salmon Spungcake”, a spacey, gently throbbing Bison cut that he co-wrote, produced and mixed for Claremont 56’s 10th Anniversary box-set in 2017.
While the original version shied away from the dancefloor in favour of creating a hazy, horizontal mood, McDonnell’s “Zip It Shrimpy Mix” re-invents the cut as a hypnotic dub disco shaker rich in weighty bass, layered hand percussion, locked-in kick drums and spaced-out vocal snippets. In true dub fashion, flashes of the band’s original instrumentation – effects-laden guitars, hazy electronics and meandering, deep space chords – float in and out of the mix at irregular intervals. It’s the kind of remix you want to get lost in while wearily shuffling at 5am in a dark, sweaty basement.
The glassy-eyed, head-in-the-clouds fun continues on the “I Think I’ve Got Gout Mix”, an even more spaced-out affair that recalls some of the other inspired dancefloor dubs McDonnell has produced alongside Idjut Boys partner Dan Tyler. Stripped back, heavy, percussive and driven forward by sturdy kick-drums and the track’s rich, warm bassline, this is a deep space dub disco tailor-made for space cadets and intoxicated sunrise dancers.

This neat slice of mashup-Balearic from BJ Smith is a clever exercise in sample combination. First released in 2013 but reissued again here, we hear two iconic hip-hop tracks - Mos Def's 'Umi Says' and The Pharcyde's 'Runnin' - both laid to serene, lackadaisical Balearic backings. Thus two sunrise classics were born, complementing a very particular kind of rave.

Reparto Vinile is back with the second release. "Storia Fantasy" with Italo Funk influences, it is the track that best represents the Cabopolonio project.

Completing a red hot trio of remix EPs of Calm’s By Your Side album is this final part with Lucas Croon, Cantoma and Gallo and Yuri Shulgin all serving up expansive and mind altering new versions.
He doesn’t release often but when he does you need to listen to Lucas Croon. His unique take on ‘Before Landing’ is a proper dance floor heater to get you on your toes. Once you're there, a gentle rush of rave euphoria tases over you and sends shivers down your spine as old school breakbeats and glowing pads complete the trip.
Elsewhere, long time Balearic pin up, scene hero and all round blissed out boss man Phil Mison has a new album corn gin the spring. Before that, he becomes Cantoma for a timeless version of ‘You Can See The Sunrise Again’ that has bright blue skies and jaunty chords making you move.
Regular label artist homie Gallo is in the form of his life right now - he's resident DJ at Hell Yeah's weekly Balearic night Buena Onda in Berlin, has a growing reputation for being one of the best eclectic selectors in the game and is currently working on compiling the forthcoming BUENA ONDA comp with label head Marco. He gets long legged on his deep cut remix of ‘Sky Color Passing’ which is another killer that slowly but surely works you in a slow motion acid trance.
Completing this most exquisite outing is Yuri Shulgin, a multi-instrumentalist music producer from Tajikistan with credits on Cocktail d'Amore Music. His spellbinding take on 'Ending of Summer, Beginning of Autumn' is a fusion of jazz, leftfield and electronica will have you in a spin and your head lost in the clouds amongst the twinkling stars and cosmic pads.

Leng Records has long had close ties with the underground music scene in San Francisco, with low-slung dub disco and psychedelic disco outfit 40 Thieves releasing their acclaimed album The Sky Is Yours on the imprint way back in 2014. Now Leng has turned to another stalwart of the Bay Area scene, Cole Odin, on a single that’s every bit as trippy and engrossing as you’d expect from one of San Francisco’s most frequently overlooked talents. Cole made his Leng debut earlier in the year, contributing the electro-influenced track ‘Numbers Game’ to the label’s 10th anniversary compilation. On ‘Little Boxes’, he’s joined by good friend Eddie C, a much-loved disco and house producer from Canada best known for his releases on Endless Flight and Red Motorbike. The pair recorded the track while Eddie was staying with Cole in San Francisco last year.



In keeping with the low-slung, hallucinatory sound that has always been a big feature of the San Franciscan scene, ‘Little Boxes’ is a trippy, mind-altering affair in which waves of sitar sounds, cosmic synths, effects-laden guitars and kaleidoscopic electronics rise above a weighty punk-funk bassline and crunchy, snare-heavy beats. It has serious dancefloor chops but is also atmospheric and immersive: perfect 5am music for Bay Area beach parties and mushrooms-fuelled forest raves.



Fittingly, it’s 40 Thieves who provide the accompanying remix, a 10-minute epic created with the assistance of Adonis and Rodney from the psych rock band ‘Guavatron’ for additional synths and the guitars. Beginning with tabla-style percussion, swirling chords, psychedelic guitar licks and mystical sitar sounds, the remix builds in waves, with looser drums and even weightier bass propelling the track forwards at a metronomic and hypnotic pace. By the time the eyes-closed guitar solos drop two thirds of the way through, you’ll be tripping hard and reaching for the lasers. It’s a genuinely stunning remix of a genuinely intoxicating, mind-mangling track.

A case of things turning full circle if ever there was one, as Rolo McGinty of The Woodentops fame - the indie stars who discovered E and featured on the very first Balearic Beats collection - teams up with Coyote for a one sided 12" that pays homage to the laughing herb that is 'Marijuana' and particularly partaking in its delight in the shade on a hot day. McGinty delivers a cool acoustic guitar riff and a deep, resonant vocal, while the Coyote boys do the slow motion beat shuffling. Anthemic glory.

Hell Yeah kicks off 2024 in fine style with a new album from Australian producer Dawn Again. Every Dog's Hotel is a dreamy and breaks-driven downtempo excursion the artist has dubbed "pubwave."

Melbourne-based Nick Verwey has been crafting solo and collaborative cuts for the best part of a decade on labels like Houseworx and Enjoyment Division. He operates in a world where danceable grooves are paired with laid-back moods. His lo-fi sound is both sunlit and sunset-ready and is for grown-up crowds who like to get down on rooftops, sandy enclaves, or laidback living rooms. This new album, however, he describes as "pubwave" and was conveyed during lockdown when Nick and his friends were missing their favourite communal drinking spots.

"My friends and I were missing the pub, missing dance floors, missing being able to hang out and have fun," he says before explaining that, at the time, he was listening to a lot of 90s and 00s downtempo chill out by the likes of Heights of Abraham, Pork Recordings, Baby Mammoth and Bullitnuts. He came up with the idea of creating something similar but in his own way, initially with spoken word poetry from his friend over the top, though when it came to recording that never quite worked so it was shelved until later when Nick?tried again without the vocals. "The whole project has been more than years in the making. I'm super proud of the end result. I think it still nails the dreamy, Balearic "pubwave" vibe and comes with a gorgeous cover painting by my mate Holly Hunt. It's an old English haunt called the Old Neptune, and what nails the brief more than a pub that is literally on the beach?"

The title track is a welcome opening with leggy breaks and soft shakers encouraging you to sway while gazing up at the melodic stars before 'Foam Party' gets more zoned out with its vaporous chords and gentle drum tumbles. 'Journey Through The Schoonerverse' is a suspensory trip to the clouds with effortlessly loose breaks and painterly synth smears, 'Wonky Friends' has a more weighty but still dubbed out and slow motion house kick and 'Kneverending Knockoffs' keeps the energy rising with raw percussion and acidic twitches that journey through a heat haze on a warm afternoon. Closer 'Backyard Paradiso' is the horizontal finish that washes over you like rays of sun and gently breaking waves to leave you relaxed from head to toe and digital bonus 'Hard Earned Thirst' is an extra chance to luxuriate in Dawn Again's richly layered synths and leisurely breaks.

The superbly welcoming Every Dog's Hotel is a place to pull up, sink a drink, and soak into some lavish and escapist downtempo sounds.

Label Text "When one of South Africa’s most sought after trumpet players steps forward after a career alongside the very best in the International jazz scene, you know it’s going to be a special record. Dennis Mpale was one of South Africa's heavyweights. You’ll find his name springing up on every important South African jazz record and billing since the 1960’s. Chris McGregor’s iconic Jazz/The African Sound LP, Abdullah Ibrahim’s Dollar Brand, Barney Rachabane in the highly influential ensemble Roots, and early work in house bands appearing alongside Nick Moyake in The Soul jazz Men to name just a few. His trumpet playing had character, an extension of the body and amplifier of that great South African sound. Leaving South Africa during Apartheid as a strong supporter and member of the ANC, Dennis made London his home, joining the newly established SA Jazz scene and standing in solidarity against the oppressions back in Africa. Moving between London and South Africa during the 70’s and 80’s It wasn’t till the early 1990’s when Dennis finally settled again to make his biggest transition to solo artist, redefining his Jazz past and putting a heavy kwaito infused house slammer on the agenda. 1994s ‘Paying My Bills’ (a title maybe more appropriate now than it ever has been) is a mighty jazz kwaito house effort: From the heavy synth beat and

Gorgeous floating solo opener of ‘Paying My Bills’, to the highly infectious vocal phrasing on thumping house anthem ‘Take My Time’. Paying My Bills takes the sensibilities of a jazz maestro and pairs it with one of South Africa’s biggest producers Peter ‘Hitman’ Moticoe, creating the perfect recipe for a certified summer slammer.

Having previously only ever been released on CD, this is the first ever vinyl pressing of the album (hazy early test pressings lurk on a small number of lucky shelves). Vinyl mastering is handled by The Carvery’s very own Frank Merritt here in London, with the resulting tracks generously split over 2 discs to fully appreciate the swampy heavy dub bass drolls for full dancefloor effect. It’s loud and punchy and makes space for those glorious trumpet improvisations while keeping the synth refrains and heavy bass thumping. Early plays include resident NTS DJ’s and a feature on Palms Trax Radio 1 residency with surely more support to follow. "

Leya Touch & soFa elsewhere aka Dream Baby Dream combine their left-of-centre musical perspectives on an otherworldly new self-titled album that arrives on Hell Yeah this September and will get a Japanese domestic release on CD. The duo's beguiling mix of occult synths and treated vocals ride dubbed-out mid-tempo rhythms on a retro-futurist record that blends cold wave, cosmic disco, dub and trance.

Dream Baby Dream describes themselves as 'two children who refused to grow up' and now they offer a glimpse into their very own fantastic land of dreams. This journey into diverse flavours spontaneously started after a cosy dinner and after just three sessions resulted in the album presented here. Playful yet sometimes gloomy, this music echoes life, both imaginary and real - the highs, the lows, the dark moments and the joy, trance-inducted love zones, daydreams and everything in between. It is a coherent hole but one filled with surprising turns, moments of deja vu and plenty of outsider dance floor delights.

Leya Touch is a rising voice and live act on the Brussels alternative scene. Together with soFa, a veteran DJ and producer who released on many forward-thinking labels worldwide, they provide signature vocals and synths that challenge typical genre categorisations.

Opener 'Love Zone' sets a strangely seductive basic channel vs dreamy pop vibe with wispy cosmic melodies and oodles of echoes as Touch's vocals draw you in. Lose limbed percussive jumbled and sci-fi motifs define 'Badalamenti On Fries', 'Curry Con Sax' has an avant-guard sense of soul and melodic curiousness and 'Diskoteka' is a jittery mix of retro synth sounds and whispered vocal coos that shimmer like stars in the night sky. Elsewhere there's the malfunctioning Kraftwerkian electronics of 'Körperkonsum', goa-filter madness of 'Banana Trance' and the eerie interplanetary dub of 'Carpenter On The Beach' while 'Whale Rider' and 'The Rude Red Lady' bring warped lines and enchanting vocalisations that sound like nothing you have heard before.

This is an exultant album of new musical rituals, tiny soundscapes, dehumanised words and combinations of the past, present and future that never fail to excite and intrigue.

Music From Memory’s final 12" for 2017 is a reissue of Dub Oven's self released, and sadly one-off, 1983 EP 'Skin N Bones’.
Pioneers in the Post Punk Industrial and New Wave scene in 1980’s San Francisco, Gary Miles (Voice Farm) and Blaise Smith (Minimal Man), met at San Francisco’s notorious 181 Club in December of 1982. This straight/same sex/swing-both-ways late night dive bar was tucked away in one of the city's most risky, drug riddled neighbourhoods. Stationed near the SF Museum of modern Art it attracted a wild audience of local patrons, aspiring young artists and music heads. In the thick of all this the duo felt impartial to a lot what was going on musically and set out to produce electronic music that could break through the "somewhat exhausted post disco sound that was then competing in the local San Francisco clubs". Enlisting soul vocalist Celeste Miller, the duo were also inspired by Lee Perry / Upsetters dub tracks being produced in Jamaica and created a unique breed of avant guard hybrid New Wave/Electronic Funk.
With it's influences seemingly as much rooted in the past and the present as it was focused on the future; Dub Oven formed a distinct, mystical approach to music intended for the dance floor. All three tracks on this 12" embody a signature groove and an inventive synthesized abstraction to express a languishing urban unsettledness and spiritual awareness. Recorded at L7 Studios in San Francisco with the assistance of the the studio’s in house producer Marco Perry (who currently now works with Bjork) the record was unfortunately overlooked by A&R at several major and even local labels and was finally self-released in very limited quantities. Utilising analog electronics and instrumentation, the record draws on elements of dub, new wave, soul and funk to create a sound that is uncategorizable and one that was perhaps simply too forward thinking for it’s time.

Elkan's self titled debut LP is in a way a lifelong album in the making, it contains all the growing pains, internet isolation, losing one's self and finding it again, flourishing and finally releasing. Most of all it's like finding a little portal out of our universe into a new one. It was a bit of an excavation process to make this music available, some don't give themselves away so easily. Elkan's music is humble, quiet at times, but therein lies its power, it's a journey you don't quite come back from, at least not like how you once were. We are very happy to finally be able to share this music, and we hope it will resonate with you.

Milano via the cosmos duo "Eternal Love" deliver their debut Altar EP for another buy on site 12” on Planet Trip records. Best enjoyed spritz in hand or windows down in your best friend's cabrio. Soak up 4 primo balearic, street soul and acid dipped housey cuts via everybody’s favourite cavalli.

Fabrizio Fattori is one of the most rapresentative dj in the afro balearic italian movement, Best Italy with this album put together all the songs produced from Fabrizio during 1985 including all the songs coming from the rare and high in demand Appunti D'Africa and Baraonda 12" singles plus unreleased material.

Perugia producer, synth collector and linchpin of the underground scene Feel Fly pokes his head above the trenches to deliver a consummate four track EP Mediterranean Dreams - Part 1. Onironauta rolls up all the best bits of spaced-out disco and italo house into an expansive dancefloor soundtrack that would sound equally at home in a Den Haag squat as by an Ibizan hillside pool. Sounding in turns both futuristic and nostalgic, it sets the tone for the dream-like timezone in which this EP resides. Meanwhile slowed-down 303 chugger Grace In Space sounds perfect for Room 2 - that is, if the room is on an orbiting space station and someone adjusted the gravity settings. The track concludes the side with timeless balearic drift and a dash of kosmiche afro percussion sprinkled on top. Flip the 12” over and the title track Mediterranean Dreams seeps through, with more than a slight nod to the summer of ‘88, like a faded photograph. The revolving chord progression and melodic synth phrases that weave through the groove fit together sweeter than the cogs in a swiss watch. EP closer Becalmed rounds proceedings out in fine cosmic disco style, firing more 16th note lasers through the dry ice than Kitt, as melancholic pads float over the rhythm section like a négligée. It’s a stylish way to sign off a collection of tracks that are equal parts fond memory, hopeful optimism, and hazy dance-fuelled hedonism.

Part One of a very special Reloved installment dedicated to Alessandro Alessandroni's Tema DI Susie masterpiece. Neapolitan duo Fratelli Malibu have taken Alessandroni's melodic theme and woven it into a mesmerizing tapestry of rhythmic beats, world percussion and ethereal atmospheres. Drawing inspiration from funk/Afrobeat, synth-pop and Italo-Disco, they've conjured a psychedelic-tinged, afro-cosmic groove that's bound to transport you to another dimension.

GAF are back!!! This time under their Estrella de la Muerte configuration and with a gateway musical behemoth double album into the cosmic unknown.

The prolific project, helmed by local Canarian anchorman Mladen Kurajica, dwells deep into esoteric rock genres and this time, they waste no time in plunging the listener into their brave new type of cosmic rock with a deeply influenced krautrock voyage of 70’s jamming and psychonautic exploration.

Recorded over three days in the cultural space of El Tanque, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, at the height of the covid pandemic of 2020 and during one of the hottest summers to date, the band entered the space with no plan in mind deciding instead to approach the recording sessions without any preconceived ideas or pre-composed songs. Clean out of external influences and ready to experiment they loaded in all their available gear, including an array of modular synths, in order to create a new approach to song writing and flesh out some ideas for a future album in situ. The very process of that search, through pure improvisation and jamming, became the album we’re presenting here.

No overdubs or subsequent edits were done, except for cutting some songs so that they could fit on the album. Almost 5 hours of recordings in total, finally reaching a 7 track, 69-minute double LP. All the reverb heard on the record is the natural reverb of El Tanque, a 16 second tail natural reverb recorded with several room mics at different locations in the venue. Eventually this became the first fully instrumental album by the Estrella de la Muerte configuration, with a line up of 7 musicians (Gaf y Estrella de la Muerte are normally a sextet).

Enter then, this inspired selection of psychedelically damaged tunes, 70’s space rock, psychoacoustics and Kosmishe inspired jamming. This is healing music for your mind altering journeys. The titled Pyramids here serving not only as a gateway to the cosmic unknown but also as an exploratory symbol of the bands willingness to freely embrace their subconscious inner flows into a cosmic collective. Ecstatic music for our times!

Currently celebrating ten years of releasing music on vinyl & cassette and following hype for recent releases from Moscow (via Tallinn)’s Galun (glagol album) and Osaka's Kiji Suedo (Hosek EP & Riot album), Edinburgh's Hobbes Music label continues to mine a leftfield seam with this brand new album from singer/songwriter George Demure (Tirk, Output) aka DJ/producer George T (Greco Roman, Optimo), better known as George Thomson to his mum. And it’s another absolute peach if you have a taste for post-club sounds of a more leftfield persuasion.

This is the follow-up to his 'The Record Store' EP which came out via George's own All Noise imprint in 2021. He has also released the Roll On, King's Cross single via Hobbes Music under his George T moniker last November (plus various bits for the Paradise Palms and Ramrock labels in the interim).

“It all began with the Record Store EP in 2021,” explains George. “Limit my options. No samples, one drum machine, two analog synths (mono and poly), computer simply to record. I was so happy with the results I began with what you hear today. Same drums, same machines (or lack thereof) maybe some real percussion and melodica but hey, I only answer to me.”

Imagine, if you will, Scott Walker jamming with Kruder & Dorfmeister in a very small studio…

Bonus Album ‘Dandy In Dub’ features dubs, instrumentals and bonus tracks, with yet more regular flashes of pure brilliance. Be sure to check out opener 'After' and closer 'Blue Lou', which sound like George might well have sound-tracked some French 80s flick of the 'cinema du look' period (Betty Blue, Diva et al) in another life. Plus ‘Mr Minilogue’ with its clarinet-like synth.... Does it really get any better than this?!!

Sleeve art by the amazingly talented Bernie Reid, another local legend.

Stefan Schwander aka Harmonious Thelonious is definitely not a newcomer. He has been around for a long time and has already released lots of amazingly varied music on labels such as Emotional Response, Italic, Meakusma and Diskant. He’s also an integral part of the infamous Duesseldorf / Salon Des Amateurs axis that is an obvious hotbed of talent. He describes his style as "American minimalism vs. African drumming vs. European sequencing", a heady mixture which is clearly evident on this EP though with a definite Middle Eastern twist. Here at Versatile HQ we were introduced to this clutch of tracks by one of the members of Acid Arab and we were totally blown away. Stefan has a very unique production style, fusing all of the above elements with a hint of Gamelan, a dash of tweaked FM synthesis type sounds with a dose of warm ambience and finally his own singular touch on the mix. We are very happy to present you these 4 tracks to you, an essential EP from one of European music's true originals.

MAT is proud to announce the forthcoming release of ‘The Side I Never See’, by Hugh Small & Brian Allen Simon. Hugh forms half of Scottish post-punk duo Vazz, whose work was the subject of a recent retrospective by Belgian label Stroom. Brian is known best for his solo project Anenon, under which name he has released four full length albums and multiple remixes for artists including Ryuichi Sakamoto. An improvised recording of Brian playing over the Vazz piece ‘Kazimierz’ catalysed this long-distance collaboration; 2000 feet up a mountain in Andalucia, Hugh heard the recording on a broadcast of Brian’s dublab LA radio show. Immediately taken in by Brian’s playing, the pair soon established contact and began discussing the possibility of working to create something new together. The rest, as they say, is history: the results are fully realised in ‘The Side I Never See’, a shimmering suite of ten compositions for piano, soprano saxophone, synthesizer and guitar. In Hughs words… ‘so, what is it? It’s Ambient-Punk, Abstract-Jazz, Disaffected-Classical, it’s whatever the fuck you want it to be!’ :-) ‘The Side I Never See’ will be released on Melody As Truth in early August 2021, as always on vinyl and digital. Mastered by Stephan Mathieu, Artwork by Michael Willis.

It’s a new day – and 2022 marks a very special new chapter for Parisian producer Hugo LX, who delivers his latest sound offering on his freshly founded imprint Doma Music. A collective adventure, « The Platinum Wave » sees the return of Hugo’s most frequent collaborators – trumpeter Hermon Mehari and guitarist Christopher Johnson, with the addition of pianist Tony Tixier – the four of them connecting, building and weaving their sonic textures over these five sound cuts. A starting point in the Doma music catalogue, « The Platinum Wave » aims to propose a different sound in dance music, both a continuation of a certain musical legacy and an exploration of today’s boundless possibilities, as much as an intimate soundscape from four artists deeply involved in the Paris creative scene – and most definitely, a first taste of things to come on the label.

Fantasound is the fifth full length album from Slovenian Space Disco producer Ichisan. This debut LP on international label Gouranga Music follows recent singles Harmona and Margit Mono. Ichisan's sound is Space Disco Pop Bliss - swooshing synths collide with pulsing rhythms and twinkling melodies, creating a kaleidoscopic universe of pure joy. The artist explains the process: "The album was recorded during the 2020 lockdown period. In those long uncertain days I watched all kinds of movies and rediscovered the ‘1940 Fantasia' with my three year old son. I started researching the story behind the production of the animated musical film and especially the sound production of Fantasia. Fantasound was a stereophonic sound reproduction system developed by engineers of Walt Disney and RCA. That is how I found the album title. After the album was recorded I knew that the artwork must be related to Fantasia. I always had ‘The Sorcerer's Apprentice' in my mind as an inspiration for the album artwork. Mickey Mouse's dreams in the dark-blue space and Fantasia poster logo were guidelines. The illustrator Meta Wraber delivered the fantastic artwork in her signature watercolour technique." 'Fantasound' is a symphony of disco and italo rhythms, space synth waves and a happy-go-lucky driving rhythms. A sound that doesn't exist in the real world, the Fantasound is very much alive and in our mind during our happiest moments. After teasing with several EPs, Ichisan blesses the world via Gouranga Music with the full Fantasound, an immersive ecstatic experience filled with twists and turns that will keep you on your Tip Top toes.

Ilija Rudman has tried to make the most of his pandemic-induced lockdown by spending as much of it as possible in the best imaginable way – by pouring his creativity into bold sonic adventures - the newly launched Ilija Rudman Presents Meteor One. His latest endeavour is characterised by an experimental essence, live-feeling sensibilities and an extraterrestrial outlook. “Meteor One is an outlet for musical experiments recorded and performed as 'in concert' stuff, laying on L.A. Grooves, cinematic, funk and spoken words” . The long arrangements build an emotion of space travelling, moving free through the galaxy... at the same time the music can move dance floors and can set up a beautiful listening experience.” Meteor One Music is an epic musical journey, unfolding steadily over almost 25 minutes and permeated by carefully selected vox pops and spoken-word vocal samples from deep in the Rudman archives. The often sparsely-arranged instrumentation meanders over rolling drums, while a constantly evolving bass glues together waves of synths and effects as they rise and dissipate. The arrangement glides through ultra-chilled sections into stirringly energetic periods, with Ilija's live feeling there for all to hear. The delicate music helps to cast a uniquely introspective spell, and we're looking forward to hearing how this timely series will unfold.

2LP, remaster - Imperial Tiger Orchestra's Mercato [12th years Anniversary Edition] includes the best of both albums Mercato & Addis Abeba remastered with bonuses live recordings in London, Paris, Addis, Tokyo & Cape Town.

avigating vibrant influences of Latin-jazz, Tropicália and joyful grooves; multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, singer and producer Inês Loubet presents her utterly gorgeous debut album ‘Senga’. The album covers Inês’ experiences over the past five years, originating in Portugal, travelling through Brazil, before finding home in London.

Previously, Inês co-wrote and performed on Caravela’s album 'Orla' on None More Records, which was praised by the likes of Gilles Peterson and The Line of Best Fit. Her music has been played on Jazz FM, BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 3, NTS and Soho Radio. A relentless live performer, she’s played alongside Brazilian legends Gilberto Gil & João Bosco, graced the stage of The Royal Albert Hall, Union Chapel, and O2 Shepherds Bush, around UK and international tours.

The album explores a range of profound themes including nature, travel, grief, unconditional love, separation, family dynamics, and the nuanced experience of womanhood in contemporary society. Dedications to the music, philosophy and revolutionary history of samba (‘Sambo Mesmo Sem’), everyday observations of joy (‘Guri’), and motivating generational change for the better (‘Sab Sabim’); glide across romantic harmonies and the Brazilian rhythms at the melodic heart of the album.

“I started writing whilst living in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, in February 2020”, says Inês. “I was shy and hadn't written fully composed tracks before then. During lockdown I received support from The Arts Council’s Dycp, started making demos, gained confidence and started playing them live”. In October 2022 Inês was presented with the Drake YoLanda award and went to Giant Wafer studio in Wales for three days, before recording the final vocals at her home studio and mixing and mastering in Porto, Portugal.

Inês is joined on the album by a band of close friends. Percussionist and long-time collaborator Jansen Santana from Salvador da Bahia brings the soul of the drums, the tambor. “I always have the Bahia drums present in my mind when I write a new composition. I studied Latin percussion at University and then lived in Salvador absorbing all that heritage and knowledge”. Playing four different stringed instruments on the album, Greg Sanders is a long-time friend and collaborator from London “I met him in a samba band in 2015 and he was the first person I ever showed my songs to and played with”. The band is completed by Ruta Sipola on flute, Jake Burgess on tenor sax, Peu Meurray who recorded a lot of the percussion and lead vocals, and bassist Julio de Castro from Sao Paulo. “I was blown away by his bass playing, his swing and creativity, his ton of experience and professionalism but also his voice - he's an amazing singer and I believe that adds a lot to the magic”.

Inês concludes, “Last year, I had a show in London and I asked everyone in the audience to write down what they felt when they listened to the music. These are some of the things they wrote: wholesome, refreshing, lifted, moving, joyful, happy, nostalgic, warmth, force, goosebumps, emotional, togetherness, transported, rooted”. ‘Senga’ captures all of these feelings and more in a memorable first impression from a highly talented musician.

Wrwtfww Records is very happy to announce the official vinyl reissue of the highly sought-after Haruomi Hosono-produced Interior self-titled debut, originally released in 1982 on legendary label Yen Records. The LP comes in a heavy 350gsm sleeve. Interior is Daisuke Hinata, Eiki Nonaka, Mitsuru Sawamura, and Tsukasa Betto. Their classic 1982 debut, produced by Yellow Magic Orchestra's Haruomi Hosono, is one of a kind - a very rare breed of feel-good ambient music blending instrumental synth-pop, soft electronic minimalism, and cozy sound design in the most heartwarming ways. It evokes the intimate pleasures of daydreaming in a hotel lobby, holding hands in a museum, or napping by the pool. It depicts the urban landscape as a caring environment, where simplicity and repetition is mind soothing and smile inducing. Interior takes you into an alternate reality, where nostalgic modernism makes the present time feel like the fondest memories. The unique sound of Interior caught the attention of William Ackerman and Anne Robinson who re-released the album in 1985 on their famed label Windham Hill Records (with a slightly different tracklisting) and then proceeded to put out their follow-up, Design, in 1987. After that, members of the group continued their careers separately, Daisuke Hinata notably recording an overlooked but absolutely amazing solo album, Tarzanland, in 1988.

It had taken him almost three years to record, but in 1985 Jake Hottell finally finished his debut solo album, Break The Chains. Inspired by his opposition to fracking, anger at government corruption and a series of profound spiritual experiences, a hundred copies of the album were pressed and given away to radio stations, friends and local business interests in Hottell’s home state of New Mexico.

The album would have remained an obscure footnote in musical history had it not been for the efforts of DJs Danny McLewin and Jeremy Spellacey. Between them, they tracked down Hottell to hear his story, offering the former electronics engineer and Nashville-based music producer the chance to get his music to a whole new audience. Now, some 34 years after the private press edition was produced, Spacetalk is giving Break The Chains a full release for the very first time. Hottell began recording the album in 1982 after reading Your Body’s Many Cries For Water, a best-selling book by Dr Fereydoon Batmanghelidj about the health benefits of clean, purified water. Remembering the poisonous, methane-laden water that came out of his mother’s taps in the 1970s – a by-product of extensive fracking activity in the area around the family farm – Hottell wanted to create a set of tracks that registered his concerns, reflected his recent spiritual experiences (many of which he still finds it difficult to discuss today) and offered a meditative listening experience.

The resultant set is suitably cosmic and emotive, with Hottell cannily fusing gentle drum machine rhythms and dreamy synthesizer motifs – influenced, he says, by a love of the contemporaneous new age output of former jazz label Windham Hill Records – with his own glistening guitar passages, which sit somewhere between the homespun riffs of country music and the classical guitar solos that have long been a sonic staple of Spanish styles such as Flamenco. Many of the tracks have stories attached. “Horizon” features a profound spoken word vocal from local man Darald McCabe – whose homemade purified water helped Hottell recover from serious illness – while “El Rio dos les Delores” was composed after discovering that fracking was taking place on a local Native American reservation. “The Truth Is All I Want”, meanwhile, reflects Hottell’s growing exasperation at the extent of corporate greed and government corruption in the United States.

This new edition of Break The Chains has been painstakingly re-mastered from the original master tapes, while extensive new liner notes shed light on the remarkable musical and personal experiences that inspired Hottell to create an obscure, overlooked classic.

Cosmic disco classic played regularly by Baldelli, Lodola and in the underground scene, produced by John Kongos in 1981and released on 7 inch, containing only the short vocal version. Now remastered and reissued by Best Italy on 12" containing the full vocal original version plus the instrumental version on the flip.

Reflections of the Sun is a collection of new music that see John Rocca experiment with a more laid back side to his musical personality. John is best know in Jazz Funk circles for his 1980s self funded, self produced and self released Brit Funk classic 'Southern Freeez', and as the band Freeez's founder. "The melancholic suburban soul of ‘Southern Freeez’ never gets tired for me....an album that has remained at the top of my Brit Funk pile!" - Gilles Peterson Much of the album is also somewhat reflective. A personal and emotional reflection on John's life - the tracks a nod to John's varied musical pasts. Sounds, a pondering upon his collection of global influences and his life experiences over the years; Genre, the pulse of today, societal, musical or otherwise - but not easy to place as is John's character; Lyrics, the present dilemmas we face as humanity, whilst reflecting on our own private and deepest human feelings, of life and, of love in all its wonderous forms. Musically, the 'Reflections of the Sun' album casts a glimpse back to Rocca's Brit Funk roots growing up amongst 1970s classic Jazz Funk and Soul, while also blending inspiration from his 1980-90s electronic influences topped off with everything else he has seen and heard on his life travels since then. Giving a nod to John's own past while bringing Reflections of the Sun up to date was completed by adding elements of London's re-surgent and vibrant jazz scene. Not so different from John’s own early days jamming with Freeez, he is accompanied on all the album's tracks by his two young nephews and highly respected jazz musicians, Benjamin Rocca on keyboards and Joel Rocca on Saxophone. The two youngsters are known on the current London Jazz scene as the "Rocca Brothers". The album's title track, "Reflections of the Sun" refers to how humanity, gorging on the sunshine that brings life to everything, also has a tendency to reflect the hellishness of the sun itself. Comparing our self-destructive nature with our planet's volumes of un-ending beauty.

Junee (Fhunyue Gao and Zoé Sjollema) is an encounter between a violin, a theremin, two voices and two synthesizers. An intimate investigation into the formation of the duo, which mirrors the take-off into imaginary worlds, sometimes obscure, sometimes celestial. The point of friction between experimental and pop opens up in-between worlds of melodious stories, non-places and sonic squeaks. After several successful concert tours since 2021, the duo were keen to work on a first musical release bearing the name Océan Oublié / Assordante and containing seven songs of different lengths and stylistic colors for a total duration of 30-35 minutes. The album was recorded in Geneva by Augustin Sjollema and was developed on the compositional foundations already acquired, during residencies at Smem (Swiss Museum Of Electronic Music) and « Südpol Theater Luzern » and will be released provisionally in spring 2024, on the Geneva-based label Stone Pixels Records.

Océan Oublié / Assordante will represent the first official release of the Junee musical project. The two-part title evokes the very source of the duo's thinking around the concept of duo. A project with two names, an interstice between two universes, a two-sided album: on one hand, Océan Oublié tends towards melancholic pop, and on the other, Assordante is more experimental and theatrical approach to the « Junee » Sound.

Life might be a predominantly linear affair, but when lived right, it’s nevertheless a turbulent experience. It’s a system of trial and error, ebb and flow, order and chaos, action and reaction. And paradoxically, this system somehow still feels balanced amid all this turmoil. In fact, the same can be said about Keope’s second longplayer for Bigamo. Easily.

Keope might be a duo consisting of Marcus Rossknecht and Toni Bruna, but they actually sound like a collective of rather nomadic - and heavily gifted - musicians on their ever-present quest to reach different musical spheres. Everything is in motion, everything is in constant flux. Everything, everywhere, all at once. Their previous record “Triangulo“ already provided the audience an idea of their elaborate rhythmic vocabulary, but it’s the cryptically titled “Flikka Flokka“, which sees their multilayered compositions bloom into a fully-formed, new musical Esperanto.

You can immediately sense that Keope must be a phenomenal live act because the twelve tracks on “Flikka Flokka“ sound as if they were born from endless jam sessions fueled by a whole variety of influences. As a result, the work of Rossknecht and Bruna presents itself as a prime example of sound in motion that responds solely to its very own pulse by taking the aforementioned influences and making them completely their own. Now, let’s dance!

Mr Bongo is proud to present three unique reworks of Kit Sebastian. Each of the producers featured in this package created their own interpretation of the 'lo-fi-hi-fi’ originals and have taken the duo’s sound into bold new directions. When it came to choosing who should remix Kit Sebastian, Natureboy Flako (Flako / Dario Rojo Guerra) was a producer at the top of our list. Keeping true to the original, whilst leaving his own stamp on the track, his mix adds break-beat drums and middle-Eastern guitar riffs that transform the track into a more cinematic piece. It sounds to us like the music from an exotica dive-bar scene in a David Lynch film - which of course, is a very good thing.
Producer and DJ Baris K, who was behind the awesome 'İstanbul 70' series (re-edits of classic Turkish gems), takes ‘Durma’ in a very different direction. Totally reconstructing the track, his remix has flipped the original and totally run wild. The results are an epic left-field electronic workout. By bringing the spoken-word vocals to the forefront and giving the track a darker industrial vibe, it wouldn't sound out of place bouncing around the walls of a Berlin basement club at 5am on a Sunday morning. The pairing of Kit Sebastian and Halal Cool J grew after DJing together at the alternative Great Escape party at the Mr Bongo HQ in May 2019. They share a love for dusty old psychedelic Turkish records. Halal Cool J (aka Aly Jamal / Don Leisure) has released records on First World and is a co-member of Darkhouse Family with Earl Jeffers. For his interpretation he has delivered a mix-tape-collage with a hip-hop aesthetic, and rather than focusing on remixing a specific song, he has cut and paste his favourite elements of tracks taken off the band’s 'Mantra Moderne’ album. Available in 2 limited-edition, hand-numbered sleeve designs.

Parisian label Chuwanaga proudly presents the first opus of its new 12inch series, starting with the brand new EP of Koji Ono: Ricochet / Maloja Pass. Recorded during a short week-end in Paris, it is the result of a true collaboration by a team of musicians who wanted to bring a modern twist to a classic and timeless sound, staying true to the original late seventies/early eigthies dance music spirit and the passion of Chuwanaga for the original Britfunk. On bass, you’ll hear Lester Batchelor aka LB from Atmosfear, the legendary British JazzFunk band best known for their En Transe LP and the classic track « Dancing In Outerspace ». Killing it on the drums, Roy Mistry is their 2020 official drummer. Recording together in Studio Delta, with Koji playing almost all the other instruments, from keys to guitars to percussions, they all had a blast collaborating on these two new tracks. Add a blazing Rhodes solo by Jean-Michel Bernard on « Maloja Pass », some precious magic from producers Seiji Ono & Saint-James, a great dose of savoir-faire by sound engineer David Cukier aka Greita (Disques Flegon)… And you end up with two killer tunes ready to blast their way through your speakers. On both tracks, you’ll immediately recognize Koji Ono’s touch – as found on his previous Incognito EP : simple but uplifting melodies on synthetizers, sparkling guitars and a certain playfulness in the arrangements. On side A, « Ricochet » sounds like an irresistible mid-tempo boogie banger. On B side, the uptempo « Maloja Pass » is faster paced and bursts with energy, giving the listener an irresistible urge to travel endlessly through the night.

As a young child Lars Bartkuhn started out writing his first piece of music with a syn-thesizer and sequencer. In the mid 90s Lars became fascinated with the deep and soulful side of House musicand formed Lamaya Productions and now legendary record label Needs (not wants)together with his older brother Marek Bartkuhn and DJ Yannick. Many of Lars Bartkuhn’s productions have been played, charted and loved to deathby DJs around the globe. Lars also played countless regular sessions and concerts of freely improvised music inFrankfurt together with some of Germany’s most innovative musicians, combiningelectronic music and Jazz in a very fresh and organic way.

In 2021 Lars started to work intensely with Rush Hour. After a couple of singles RushHour released a vinyl-retrospective of the Needs era which sold out at light speed.

Many more releases are already in the pipeline ranging from abstract electronic, newage jazz, Fusion to epic deep house anthems associated with his work during the Needs days

Lntg brings another batch of supremely executed edits to the table, timeless tracks from the vaults given a fresh feel, extended, reworked and reloved direct from the Stems.

A side features Disco Funk royalty reworked to perfection. On the flip we have 2 classic party anthems.

Lntg at his best!

It can take a while for an artist to find their musical voice. For Alex Andrikopoulos, it’s been a journey that’s taken the best part of two decades. Now he’s set to mark a major milestone in his transition from record store owner, label co-founder and DJ to producer with the release of his long-promised first solo album for Leng, Waving. The Greek artist first joined the Leng Records roster in the autumn of 2020 and has since gone in to release the acclaimed ‘Punta Allen’ EP for the imprint. Before that, he spent the first decade of the century running the popular Radical Sounds record shop in Athens, before refocusing on running Quantized Music with fellow DJ/producer Tolis Q and developing his DJ career, where his unique blends of disco, house and techno tracks earned him bookings at some of Europe’s most storied clubs.



Waving, which appears on the back of a handful of fine EPs for a variety of labels, is his boldest and strongest statement yet as a musician and producer. Created with a little help from guest musicians and collaborators including keyboardist Artis Boriss, bassist Brotha Gilla, percussionists Ilario Arnel and Harold Perez, pianist Luciano Ledesma and guitarist Alex Searle, the album brilliantly blurs the boundary between 21st century disco, afternoon-ready downtempo grooves, and the kind of dancefloor-minded Balearic fare that’s devilishly difficult to pigeonhole.

Fittingly, the set begins with previous single ‘Punta Allen’, an eight-minute chunk of organic dancefloor goodness which slowly unfurls before rising towards and gorgeous and joyous conclusion, and ends with the squelchy, slo-mo cosmic funk of ‘Patrol Di Caribe’, where trippy synthesizer lines, layered percussion and more tuneful style pan style lead ins catch the ear.



In between, highlights are plentiful, from the driving, piano solo-laden dub disco brilliance of ‘Down My Soul’ and the languid, sun-kissed, beach-ready downtempo grooves of ‘The Jamail Pass’, to the rubbery, pitched-down electrofunk of ‘Window Spells’ (featuring a fine lead vocal from Max Giovara, the flash-friend, dubwise Balearic funk of ‘Waving’, and the throbbing brilliance of ‘La Di Da Di’, whose crunchy Clavinet lines, fluid electric piano solos, snappy drums and pulsating, arpeggio-style bass encapsulate all that is good about the album.



The digital edition of the album also comes bundled with eight more tracks not featured on the double-vinyl LP. Featuring the same blend of expansive musicality, organic drums and dancefloor nous, this octet effectively extends the album via a string of similarly playable, club-ready and sofa-friendly tracks. Standouts include the non-stop, nu-disco-meets-house excellence of ‘Large Stacks’, Hammond-laced head-nodder ‘Take The High Road’, horizontal Balearic funk shuffler ‘Prezend’ and hazy, vocal-sporting dub disco roller ‘Angels of Rhythm’, which previously appeared on the flipside of Lex’s ‘Punta Allen’ 12”.

Following on from their holy grail house find for Cr002 - unearthing, unreleased tracks by Marshall Jefferson and Jungle Wonz as played by Ron Hardy at the Music Box, which Marshall subsequently recreated, Club Chi'll Records' next instalment is another Chicago house bomb. ‘Passing Runner’ melds the minds of Chicago native Lloyd Dev, the legendary Jungle Wonz member Harry Dennis and the CCR All-Stars (the Club Chi’ll Records in-house group), stirring up all the best elements of the Windy city’s vibe. Blending emotive pianos, shuffling percussion and weighty basslines, with perfectly complimented sax licks and deft synth lines. On the flip side ‘Passing Runner (Club Chilled)’ is a delightful, balearic tinged mix that gives listeners a licence to chill.

The album is best described as jazzy ambient - very mellow and meditative stuff.. It will be released on a limited edition vinyl (150 copies) and will only be available in select shops.

David Lovato’s first outing as Lova, the superb Gypsophilia EP, was one of NuNorthern Soul’s most lauded and cherished releases of 2021 – a gorgeous collection of emotive, sun-soaked sounds from the mind of a producer who got his chance on the imprint after handing a USB of tracks to Phil Cooper at Hostal La Torre in the summer of 2020. Now, the EP returns for 2022 in expanded form, with a trio of fresh, mood-enhancing remixes joining the three original tracks featured on last year’s release. It’s those – ‘Cecilia’, Lovato’s glistening, emotionally resonant musical tribute to his baby daughter, mid-tempo nu-disco gem ‘Echoes of Memories’ and the stunning, sunset-inspired ‘Esperanza’ - that form the first half of the EP, with a trio of reworks following in hot pursuit. Long-time friends of the label Leo Mas and Fabrice, an Italian duo famed for their brilliant Balearic reworks whose individual and collective histories stretch right back to the late 1980s (Mas, for example, was one of the resident DJs at legendary White Isle venue Amnesia at the back end of that decade). Given this shared Balearic history, it’s fitting that they step up first and give their spin on ‘Cecilia’. Making the most of Lovato’s stunning, reverb-drenched guitar licks, dreamy chords and atmospheric pads, the pair delivers a shuffling, club-ready interpretation underpinned by a locked-in dub disco groove. It’s a fine take on a track brimming with positivity and joy. Hear & Now, an Italian duo best known for delivering a trio of brilliant albums on Claremont 56, give their interpretation of ‘Echoes of Memories’. Beginning with a mixture of quietly colourful chords, enveloping sonic textures and hazy guitar motifs, the mix gently builds as it progresses, with the pair introducing a pitched-down house groove, chiming electronic melodies and alluring elements from Lovato’s original version. Like much of Hear & Now’s work, it sits somewhere be-tween Balearica, slow-motion electronic disco and the Rimini-friendly dream house sound that marked out Italian club cuts at the turn of the ‘90s. To close out the EP, rising star Danilo Braca – an Italian producer based in New York City who began DJing in his home country way back in 1996 – gently leads ‘Esperanza’ towards the dancefloor. Braca is a member of production duo Synth & Soda, whose 2020 remix of DJ Harvey presents Locussolus track ‘Berghain’ was selected by the man himself as the winner of an online competition. On this solo revision, Braca wraps a punchy, Latin-tinged house beat in cascading melodic motifs, bubbly synthesizer arpeggio lines, rising and falling electronics and pads so sumptuous you might want to marry them. Simultaneously morning fresh and sunset-ready, Braca has delivered a classic-sounding chunk of Balearic nu-disco/deep house fu-sion. Gypsophilia Remixed is the latest volume in NuNorthern Soul’s Myths of Ibiza series of EPs, which all feature specially commissioned artwork from illustrator Emily McGuinness. This time round, McGuinness’s distinctive artwork depicts Tanit, the ‘protector goddess’ of Ibiza. A warrior deity of dance, fertility, creation and destruction, her spirit is said to watch over the island’s West Coast, particularly the area around Atlantic and the mysterious Es Vedra rock.

A bit more than half a decade on from his widely acclaimed debut Vanishing Points from 2018, Swiss guitarist, composer, and improv musician Manuel Troller releases his new record Halcyon Future. A rhythmically dense and ambiguous, yet joyful ride for unstable times, a plea for warmth and hopeful resistance.

Troller’s mode of incorporating, zooming in, and expanding on small elements from improvised sessions creates a multilayered work of driving rhythms and abstract, vibrating textures. Opening with Halcyon Future I’s distinctive open pulse, this first piece guides us through subtle harmonic shifts that are almost unrecognizable as they take place over extended time, overlapping and creating a sense of ambiguity until the piece reaches an almost optimistic level with Mario Hänni’s unexpected introduction of driving acoustic drums. Relentlessly and with increasing excitement, heavy electronic 80s bass drums and an armada of layered hi-hats push them on, leading to the all-incorporating melodic finale.

The two long pieces Halcyon Future I and Halcyon Future II focus on forward momentum. In between them stands DNA, a purposely directionless contemplation on emotion as such. It is raw, naked, and confrontational, with a tender and subtly changing chord progression creating intimacy and proximity, abstraction and warmth, like a beautifully vibrant hologram for the listener to walk around in.

The B-side with its 20-minute Halcyon Future II features playful futuristic guitars, enhancing and challenging the stereo image that Troller is already well-known for. As it’s given time to develop and take root, the ever-varying guitar interactions densify and the staccato patterns jump out of the speakers with joy, creating excitement and building momentum. Compared to Side A, things turn to a slightly more complex rhythmical, melodic, and harmonic feel here. There are easy references, such as Manuel Göttsching’s E2-e4 or Pat Metheny performing Steve Reich’s Electric Counterpoint, but Troller goes a different and very much more concrete way. Although the piece has been recorded in various places and through a long process of overdubbing, there is an astonishingly strong live feel to it, from beginning to the end, from the slow rise to the full spectrum and the almost krautrock-like finale. Improvisers Hans Koch on soprano saxophone and Michael Flury on heavily fuzzed trombone join in, while Troller and Mario Hänni on many guitars, bass, drum machines, and acoustic drums provide a joyous driving entity, not giving up until it all breaks down again. There is overkill and brute force, though never without depth and a vision of future.

In the musical scope of Halcyon Future, there is no need for an absolute definition of things. A continuously changing interpretation of repetitive and variable elements fading in and out of focus tells a story of an excited sense of acceptance. Feelings of transcendence stem from Troller’s layering of constantly shifting rhythmic structures with unforeseen improvised harmonic changes. Drum machine parts overlayed with acoustic drums shift between musical modes, anchoring the album on the verge of a jazz-influenced, motorik, post-ECM balearic plateau. Abstract textural elements gently swirl around and behind all that is rhythm, providing a submissive counterpoint. As with much of Troller’s work, Halcyon Future is an album that unfolds slowly, revealing more of its richness, detail, and subtle beauty at each listen.

Halcyon Future is a joint release by three:four records and meakusma.

Following celebrated compilations from Motor City Drum Ensemble and Young Marco – and with the second edition of its limited-capacity festival in Croatia right around the corner – Dekmantel’s Selectors series now continues with an edition curated by Marcel Dettmann
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Although he’s now known as one of the world’s most celebrated techno artists, even Marcel Dettmann had to start somewhere. Long before he ever held court at Berghain (or its predecessor, Ostgut), he was just another young boy in Eastern Germany, one whose earliest encounters with capitalism involved spending every penny he could scrape together down at the local record shop. In those days, it wasn’t techno that got him excited, but new wave, post-punk, industrial and EBM acts like Front 242 and Depeche Mode

“It’s music from my childhood,” says Dettmann. “It’s still relevant and still inspires me.” That inspiration can be heard across this edition of the Selectors series, as Dettmann has put together what he describes as a “pre-techno compilation.” Much like the previous Selectors editions, the compilation is not a mix CD, but a collection of tracks hand picked by Dettmann from his own vinyl archives. Freshly remastered – and occasionally reworked or re-edited by Dettmann himself – the songs here are undoubtedly vintage gems, but they also represent a very personal journey into Dettmann’s past.

“It was a great opportunity to dig deeper into my own musical outlook,” he explains. “The tracks come from a time before Marcel Dettmann became a DJ.” Simply put, the songs here are some of the building blocks upon which he’s built an incredibly storied career, and now he’d like to entrust them to future generations.

Masahiro Sugaya, his name is now known worldwide as one of the leading artists of Japanese ambient, which has been re-evaluated worldwide in recent years. The Long Living Things, the album was released in 1988 by Japanese musician/composer Masahiro Sugaya for performing arts company "Pappa Tarahumara", which he also belonged to, and has long been overlooked by all but a few enthusiastic music lovers. P-vine is honoured to have the honour of reissuing this great work on vinyl for the first time in the world. The second track ‘Umi No Sunatsubu’ was included into the Grammy-nominated album "Kankyo Ongaku" released by Light In The Attic. Minimalistic, interwoven soft sequences give his music a feeling of floating and warming, this sound is representing the very essence of the Japanese ambient. His compilation album "Horizon, Volume 1" was released on the label Empire Of Signs, which produces some Japanese ambient reissues, such as Hiroshi Yoshimura's Music From Nine Postcards and Inoyama Land's Commissions: 1977-2000.　

Following his trio debut ‘Triptych’ last year, trumpeter Matthias Lindermayr presents his duo record ‘Sequence’ with long-time companion and ECM Recording Artist Matthieu Bordenave on tenor saxophone. In contrast to its technical title, ‘Sequence’ is a very lyrical record, sacral at times. Like two figure skaters, the voices gracefully glide along and whirl around in perfect synch, always sensing where the other one is going. A fitting comparison also, as the recording session was equally exhausting, due to the level of concentration required to perform this music. The minimalist line-up and the hyper-focused playing gives the album both a breath-like purity and solemn depth.

After the first two Earthly Tapes & a handful of EPs, Earthly Measures drops its first full-length album with Mente Organica’s El Espacio - a beautifully crafted album with glorious textures, steady grooves, calming vibes & a dancefloor filler or two. Born in Bogotá, Colombia – producer & multi-instrumentalist Mente Organica has slowly been making a name for himself within the folktronica/Latin scene. Following multiple album and EP releases over the past few years, El Espacio marks his first release on wax and the music stands out from anything he has done before. These 8 tracks surprise & reward the listener as individual harmonies at first, and finally, as a whole and immersive symphony. From 'Pablo Bebe’, a track he wrote which is inspired & dedicated to his best friend – to ‘Close the Door’, written in the depths of quarantine, reflecting isolation, loneliness & introspection, & ‘Yoga’ - a song written with his father that can be easily heard filling the dancefloor as well as easy bedroom sessions, this album truly does feel like his most personal work yet. Eagle’- an utterly unique track born in Pucon, Chile, after meeting opera singer Katy Prado - blends sensibilities of 60s psychedelic rock vocals with Mente’s signature electronica. ‘Dame Un Segundo’ is the lobby track of the album, with Balearic vibes: chilled, jazzy & floaty. Title track ‘El Espacio’ pays homage to Mente’s influences growing up - think Massive Attack, Thievery Corporation & Air - giving us that Trip Hop vibe. ‘Huanini’ is a real groover - a low-key dance track that evokes that ‘start of the night’ feeling of excitement, with heavy experimentation of granular synths. Finally, rounding the album off with melodies of hope, delight and positivity, ‘Partida’ reminds us that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

Meo, pseudonym of Daniele Mei, is a cosmic dj from Rimini, Italy. Fine Corsa was his first record, released in 1985. In those days Meo was active in what was later considered to be the most famous Afro Dance Club in Italy: Melody Mecca. This release is an intensely creative hybrid of many styles and many colors. Even up until the present day this record continues to be very important in some preeminent European clubs

Francesco Puccioni "born genius" in Florence, Mike Francis "becomes legend" in Rome. Deeply inspired in his adolescence by the emerging movements of North American soul, country and West Coast music and by artists such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and James Taylor, Francesco began to compose refined songs with radiant energy every day. From the first acoustic gestures performed with the guitar, always keeping compositional creativity and improvisation under his arm, he enters the unexplored waters of Italian disco music. This slow and inexorable transformation allowed him to create in 1981 with the Metropole group (with Al Festa and Claudio Giusti, all still in their twenties) the international disco hit "Miss Manhattan", a true piece of proto-Italo-Disco! A year later the young Florentine singer-songwriter wrote two evocative soul-disco songs produced by Paul & Peter Micioni, published by Best Record and performed by a certain Mike Francis (!). This is the birth of the stage name which will forever accompany the musician who became a fundamental reference of the experimental Italo-Disco "scene", then soon recognized worldwide. This coveted 12" vinyl reissue comes out with the same Best Record commercial cover as 40 years ago and with the same 'red sticker'. And finally we have the juicy reissue of "Nightime Lady" and the more appetizing and danceable "Love Has Found You", both perfectly remastered by Dom Scuteri, excellent in obtaining an impeccable sound recording, even eliminating some imperceptible defects of the original master tape. Therefore a super reissue (in limited edition) to listen to everywhere with the smart phone and to dance with joy and elegance at any type of party.

Japanese folk trio Minmoa succeed where few others have. Inspired by laid back 60’s psych-folk, it’s clear that their sound is indebted to the likes of Fairport Convention and Virgin Insanity, but they stand out by updating that sound, breathing new life into a sound that’s become almost cliche.

Their first album, Kikyo no Hi (2021) was released to critical acclaim, with particular praise directed towards lead vocalist Saeko Kusaka’s expressive vocal performance, and the unique guitar playing of Takaaki Konno. The first analog 7-inch single from Minmoa contains “Shinya no Teikibin” from their first album, and “Madokana Yoru”, the title track from their upcoming second EP! Simultaneously laid-back and moving, this unique coupling of two of Minmoa’s best songs on limited edition 45rpm vinyl is one you must not miss! Get it in a flipback cover, available only from P-vine Records!

After a first release by a member of the crew, Love Reaction is proud and humbled to welcome on the label one of Geneva’s rising stars and longtime friend, Mirlaqi. With this record, he offers a simple yet poetic groove : Disco and balearic in their broadest sense, tinged with his signature touch of Spatial House. A very personal project, produced in collaboration with family and friends. He has known the instrumentalists on bassoon and sax since high school. The singer, with her spellbound voice, is now a recurring partner, featured on every record he released. He also brought his cousin into the equation, to help him on his journey back to his origins, as she translated parts of the texts to Armenian. A-side includes the most organic tracks of the record, that, while still suited to make you dance, will also fit perfectly as a soundtrack to end a shiny afternoon in front of the ocean. On the flip, the clubbier tracks : An original production, This Color, which is the track that inspired the cover art, and a remix by parisian italo-maestro LeonxLeon. Expect the most infectious grooves the balearic spectrum could offer and prepare to dance, not on the beach this time, but rather in orbit, on the red sand of Mars.

Île Flottante is Mr. Beatnick´s 5th album, following 2023’s Joy In Variation (including the notorious cover of Love on a Real Train) and his well-received off-beat collaboration with London-based avant-garde agitator Richard Greenan – Coasty – this is his first contribution to the International Feel trademark. Probably best known for some big deep house revivalist tunes circa 2013 on the now dormant Don’t Be Afraid record label, Beatnick now converts that aural quality and dimensionality into the Balearic system. Île Flottante takes its name from the tastiest French pudding of Mr. Beatnick’s childhood holidays. The name, also a jeux de mots - floating island - hinting at the album’s inspirations and sense of identity, as a danceable soundtrack to a fictional island. Explored with high intensity and over a yearlong process, the sounds of the well-worn, but never failing Balearic universes were a mind expanding influence. Think of genre staples like Software, Manuel Goettsching, Mark Barrott, Len Leise, Don Carlos, Gaussian Curve, Joan Bibiloni or Yasuaki Shimuzu. „I spent a year listening to a lot of synthesized island music, and marveling at the many twinkling wonders of the Balearic musical universe. Struck by a sense of belonging that had often eluded me on my musical journey thus far, as the weirdo at the back of the club who had orbited many scenes for 20 years, but never felt like I fitted in, I found music that made me feel like I had come home. The songs that came out of this process are presented in the order that they were written - an open book of ocean hymns, honest and spoken from the heart.“ Île Flottante tries its very hardest to avoid being any one thing in particular. At one point, it is a gentle beach walk accompanied by polyrhythmic drum plod and flourishes of Guzheng. At another, the infamous James Yancey septuplet swing is repurposed against a marimba melody that wouldn’t be out of place in one of Link’s forest adventures. Elsewhere, there are the bellows of distant whales, touches of Italian dream house and a splash of vintage madchester, all working to create a space that feels both familiar and loaded with well worn tropes, but with its own quirky sense of personality, facets which are often attributed to Mr. Beatnick’s holistic b-boy approach. This is his understanding of a Balearic (b-boy) stance. Just with a float instead of a freeze.

My Friend Dario is back on Hell Yeah this August with more of his low tempo, high-temperature dance floor bombs. Dario has been carefully nurtured by label head Marco over the course of a few fresh EPs in the last year. Just before this EP lands he will release on Nu Northern Soul, and earlier in the year he served up a stunning live set at the foot of iconic volcano Etna, so is very much part of the current wave of Balearic tastemakers. Opener 'Desertico' has already been caned by Alfos chief Sean Johnston who recognises the power of its heavyweight chug. Over the course of nearly ten minutes and two epic breakdowns, the tune builds on supple techno pulses, with tense synth phrases keeping you in suspense before the drop brings a sense of tropical rain and thunder. 'Sunset Outro' was the last track from his live set and gets your heady amongst the clouds. The churning drums, wooden hits and lush chords are dreamy yet heavy and have an effortlessly hypnotic effect that will lock in any dance floor. These two tunes prove My Friend Dario can do no wrong right now.

Hot off the press, Okinawa Delays' lay down their second single of 2020, Just A Little Lovin', an ethereal cover of Dusty Springfield’s classic that’s nestled within her many Balearic wonders. Drinking in all the essence from Dusty’s original, Satoko Ishimine channels that pureness through her breathtaking vocals on the lead track. Sweeping, soulful and with a summer haze weaved into it’s very makeup, it’s that warm embrace you’ve been pining for all year. Ibiza legend DJ Pippi and Ibiza-born talent Willie Graff then step up to provide a laid-back dance remix as the sun sets on the beach club. Rounding off the EP captains of the Balearic waves, Seahawks, provide a sublime psychedelic chill-out mix that's ready-made to lose yourself in as you stare across the glistening horizon.

Two of Russian electronic music’s rising stars, Phil Gerus and Alexander Lay-Far, invite you to join them at the Solitary High Social Club. While table service is provided, they’d much rather you throw caution to the wind and head to the dancefloor.
Before joining forces in the studio, both Moscow-based musicians have delivered a string of memorable solo productions. Lay-Far has previously released a wealth of material on such labels as Local Talk, City Fly, Lazy Days and 4Lux Black, while synthesizer fetishist Gerus has showcased his electrofunk and disco-fired cuts on Futureboogie Recordings, Sonar Kollektiv, Public Release and Superior Elevation Records.
The five tracks that make up Solitary High Social Club deliver a perfect marriage of the two producers’ distinctive solo styles, combining the rich musicality of Lay-Far’s house productions with the spacey, intergalactic electronics of Gerus’s discoid adventures. In many ways, it’s a marriage made in heaven – or in Lay-Far’s celebrated In-Beat-Ween Studio, at least.
The duo’s spacey and melodious musical fusion is arguably best exemplified by lead cut “City 2 City, Star 2 Star”, a widescreen, mid-tempo disco epic rich in tactile Rhodes riffs, supernova synth solos, delay-laden drum beats, tumbling melody lines and heavy analogue bass. Fittingly, the track returns in “Reprise” form – think sweeping, weightless ambient bliss – to round off the EP. Elsewhere, the duo provides further proof of their combined musical talents. Check, for example, the gentle drum machine electro beats, cascading new age
melodies and sparkling, stretched-out synthesizer chords of the impeccably beautiful “Am I Tripping”, or the devilishly percussive, mind-altering brilliance of “Love Life”, where mutant electro bass, wide-eyed chords and alien melodies rise above a heavy, Afro-influenced groove.
As for “Snowflakes On Her Lips”, you’ll struggle to find a more confident and positive dancefloor workout all year. Blessed with killer piano parts, darting analogue synth-bass and a range of disco-tinged musical flourishes, it’s by far and away the most celebratory moment on an already happy-go-lucky EP. It confirms, too, our initial hunch: at the Solitary High Social Club, life is always good.

The new LP by Krefeld-born, Berlin-based artist Philipp Otterbach entitled 'The Dahlem Diaries'.

Recorded in a little-visited corner of the German capital, 'The Dahlem Diaries' is a convergence of ideas, sketches and tracks, both old and new, most of which were produced between 2020-2022. Whilst eerie atmospheres, electronics and drums have played a pivotal role in Philipp’s earlier releases, his latest is a rather more introspective affair, in which the guitar takes a leading role. A role Otterbach uses to quietly bring light and hope to his music.

Speaking about his writing process, Philipp explains that, based around his original compositions, “Friends were nice enough to contribute additional parts on their instruments which I then reworked, put together and re-contextualized. The recordings encapsulate a very specific moment in time, one that would have sounded perhaps very different the day before or after.”

Combined with a strong use of effects and field recordings, 'The Dahlem Diaries' feels somewhat like a scene or fragment from a story, in which the narrative remains undefined. It is a playful album that is something of a blurred underwater adventure, sounding as bright as it is hazy, even psychedelic at times, yet with an almost melancholic positivity. In Philipp’s own words: “It could be an album about friendship and being at one with myself, whilst at the same time bringing a certain seriousness to my music, but not necessarily to myself; there is also a playful humour hidden in there. ”

Artwork by David McFarline.

Beautiful release coming from Italy drawing inspiration from the intense colors of the works of the painter Tania Cantone on this work of love; "Sharade" by Pino Presti & Garden Planet. Mediterranean and Balearic lushness from the talented Pino Presti, and the eclectic keyboardist Claudio Calzolari, his son Andrea Calzolari, bass player Andrea Verardi and the organist Guido Mazzella. All together they created that magic, that long-forgotten, set aside, almost hidden atmosphere, which covers various genres such as lounge, future jazz, bossa-nova, ambient, which obviously includes chillout and downtempo vibes from the hot summer nights in the Mediterranean. So much vibes on this one release coming from the Italian friends of Best Record! Recommened!

At the start of 2021 I realized I hadn’t paid much attention to my own productions lately, rather spending time doing remixes or mixdowns for others or like many others, worrying over what the future will bring. I started going through tracks and ideas I had started on but not completed and now as another annus horribilis nears the end I have 2 albums ready for release, entitled “8″ and “9″. Although I promised myself to never say it I personally think they’re my best work so far and I hope someone else will get the feeling of “a light at the end of the tunnel” when listening to these tracks just like I feel when listening back to them. There are contributions from the very capable hands of Bugge Wesseltoft("8″) and John Carroll Kirby(on both “8″ and “9″), besides that it’s just me. Prins Thomas December 2021.

The sixth release on Italian imprint Tempo Dischi comes from Alessandro Bernabeo, aka Raduan, the Italian DJ and producer behind 'Taki-Naki-Naki', one of the most eclectic and unconventional electronic records made in Italy in the late 1980s.

"At the age of 7, I started attending a music school learning to play the piano. At 11 I began working as a speaker in various radio stations, and at 14, I joined Punto Radio where I grew up professionally and launched my own radio show, Play Music, under the name Alessandro Giordani. The success was impressive, and thanks to my friend Gianfranco di Lizio, I also started my DJ career by playing in some of the best dance clubs under the artist name Raduan or Rad-one. Mixing funk, soul, afro and cosmic disco in my music gave me a chance to meet and establish relationships with many of the protagonists of this new musical scene, like l’Ebreo, Fari, Maselli, Claudio Mozart Rispoli, Pery, Rubens. In 1988 I was a resident DJ in a well-known club at the time, the 'rio Club', and together with my keyboardist and percussionist, I had the idea to produce a maxi single. The song was recorded in about 40 hours without sleep at the Cicero Bros studio in Cassino in April 1988, with the support of Lino Rufo, a great artist from Molise, as well as his dear friend and old producer Toni Ochiello. The initial project was completely reworked. The original sampled drums were coupled with an acoustic one, and new melodies and fantastic spacey new sounds and effects were created by keyboardist Bengha. The hypnotic and repetitive voice of Cristina, Claudio Baglioni's background vocalist at the time, and that of Jamaica, originally from Mauritius, made the project even more interesting. 'Taki Naki Naki' is an Italo song, with Cosmic disco and Afro influences, and it's the title track of the EP originally released in June 1988 on Bmg Ariola, ex RCA. The EP includes two other songs 'Nightflight' and 'Hiroshima'. The record was a big hit in all the Italian Disco clubs and launched me into the international dance music scene. It was a fantastic time, with different styles of music and House Music was also on the way. There was a lot of research spirit and the people of the club were ready for various types of change. This record has left a mark, international DJs and shops from all over the world still contact me to ask if I have a vinyl copy left in my archive."

The French-Hong Kong DJ and producer Romain FX, founder of Fauve Radio and Fauve Records, debuts on Cracki Records ! After having made his mark on renowned labels such as Exploited, Eskimo Recordings, Novaj 新し, Lagasta, Fantastic Voyage, Mamie's Records or Hard Fist Records, the ultra-productive artist is about to release Le Sucre d'Adam a new EP of 4 tracks and 2 remixes with the Parisian label Cracki Records. Mixing Italian dream house, jazz, and Italo Disco, Romain FX wanted to create with this EP a timeless record and convey a message of hope for a better world. The first track "Zeste d'Orange" is full of joyful emotions, with a feeling of unity and sharing, strongly influenced by 80-90's pop songs like "Rise Up" by The Parachute Club, and "Send Me On My Way" by Rusted Roots. With its melancholic keyboards, "Le Sucre d'Adam" is a pure concentrate of Italo Dream House, and it's not a coincidence that Romain FX entrusted the remix of the track to the German Lauer, specialist of the genre. "Italominati" with its powerful bass, draws him in the field of the fairy, influenced by artists like Todd Terje or Skatebård. It is the Korean producer Shubostar, new figure of the dark disco scene, who took care of the remix for a very effective cosmic version ! Last track of the EP, "Crave Cave Rave" with its Rave UK and progressive house accents was imagined as a long DJ Set closing. Intense and heavy at the beginning, the track ends with a feeling of extreme release, closing the EP in the most beautiful way.

Joining the dots between Brazilian musical culture and the sonic melting pot that is New York City, Saidera are a trio on the rise. They’ve already released a pair of critically acclaimed, carnival-ready singles on Brooklyn’s Let’s Play House label and are now ready to make their debut on Leng Records.

The band’s roots can be traced back to a trip that Lemonade band member Alex Pasternak made to Brazil in 2014. While DJing at a house party in the bohemian Rio de Janeiro neighbourhood of Sta Teresa, Pasternak was left gobsmacked when a mysterious local singer/sambista Vadinho Freire, grabbed the mic and started freestyling lyrics and melodies over his set. Realising their instinctive musical connection, Pasternak and Freire decided to work together on some music, with New Yorker Le Chev joining them to complete the Saidera trio.

Now based in Rio and California, the group’s sun-soaked sound – which they describe as “samba disco-Afro melody” – is a cross-cultural stew in which infectious Brazilian percussion, colourful synth sounds, glistening guitars and celebratory vocals combine to create magical, life-affirming musical moments.

‘Luzes Da Cidade’, their first outing on Leng, encapsulates all that’s good about the Saidera sound and the trio’s approach to music. The song is about identity and connection and in its original form is languid, loved-up and joyous, with acoustic and electric guitars, Portuguese vocals and Korey Riker’s gently breezy flute solos rising above a squelchy synth bassline and energetic, sweat-soaked samba drums.

The song’s main mix comes accompanied by a wonderful instrumental pass featuring more extensive solos by Riker, and Saidera’s own remix of ‘Luzes Da Cidade’ – an extra-percussive, breakbeat-tinged fusion of hazy deep house, energetic samba and sunset-ready synth-disco that will delight DJs and dancers alike.

To round off the EP, Saidera has delivered a brand new “Uprockin Dub” of debut single ‘Deixa Tudo Fluir’, this time with female vocals from Irina Bertolucci taking the lead. Brilliantly kaleidoscopic sonically, with dub delay-laden vocals, guitars and flutes, it’s a superb, life-affirming Balearic reggae interpretation of a now familiar favourite. If you’re not singing along with the chorus after your first listen, we’d be very surprised.

The inimitable Dr San Proper returns with his second album Ferotones following up his debut 2012 long play smasher Animal (on Rush Hour). It’s been a tumultuous and colorful journey since, and although the sound might have changed, San still delivers a collection of songs off the cuff and straight from the heart.

The eight tracks collected here are odes to lost love, as San tries to win back the heart of that very special someone. Penned deep in the pit of emotion, San recorded the songs in only a handful of sessions. With the assistance of Amsterdam stalwart and Safe Trip regular Darling, San could lean more towards the wavey guitar sounds and danceable disco workouts he had in mind.

“The songs just came out this way,” he says. Raw and honest, while at the same time lying through his teeth. “If you check the lyrics, I’m promising my girl the world, even though I never deliver.” And that’s the conundrum at the core of this record - challenged but aware of it, San celebrates the faults just as much as the blessings, before embarking on the long, healing journey back to love.

Mastered by Wouter Brandenburg

Earthly Measures are very excited to bring to you 'Doroja', an album by Santiago Córdoba & The Bauls of Bengal. Different to past releases, EM explores another part of the world, introducing you to the traditional sounds of Bengal & its talented musicians. Doroja, is the third album by Argentinian musician Santiago Córdoba, this time in collaboration with The Bauls of Bengal. Recorded at the Hansadhwani Studio in Calcutta, India, where Santiago arrived with only a synthesiser, some effects, and a Legüero Bass Drum (an Argentine percussive instrument used mostly in local folklore) - this album was first conceived in December 2017 during a residency in this mythical city, together with The Bauls of Bengal. The Bauls believe the body and mind are the sources of all truths and that the expression of freedom cannot be restrained by the labelling of genres or religions, something which is evidently expressed in their music. This provides the perfect foundations for this album to develop without limitations and too effortlessly flow to whichever realms both Santiago and the Bauls of Bengal wish to take us too. The album combines traditional songs of the Bauls, rhythmic Jhumar instrumental improvisations with the Argentinian legüero bass drum, and other compositions created together in the studio. The result is a melodic mixture/dialogue of cultures, folklore and ancestral sounds with modern influences that help create an experimental and addictive sound full of electronic textures. Participating in these first recordings: Arpita Chakraborty (vocals), Chandan Ray (dotara), Pijush Baul (Vocals, Dubki) and Tanmoy Pan (percussion), who later, are joined by other artists from different latitudes to achieve a captivating fusion: Matías Romero on strings (Formosa, Argentina), Guilherme Peluci from Mineiro on winds and Daniel Guedes on percussion (Belo Horizonte, Brazil), Porteños Walter Broide on tabla and Cobra Rod on bass (both members of Poseidotica), and the Spanish Ángel Calvo on trumpet.

The album was mixed by Rodrigo Cursach at Delta Uno Estudio, mastered by Daniel Ovie, and the fascinating cover art is by Alejandro Sordi. It will be released on vinyl by the UK based label Earthly Measures, in addition to being available on all digital platforms. ‘Doroja’ means portal, and this album is indeed a magical portal to music, song and dance. Santiago's only means of communication with Bengali colleagues functioned as an astral portal to build the sounds of this journey through strange and unfathomable landscapes that captivate and surprise by building bridges between different cultures of our planet. Santiago Córdoba is a multi-instrumentalist musician born in the city of Buenos Aires who has been developing his unique sound both with his solo project and with prominent bands from the Argentinian independent music scene. He has been developing his solo career through deep musical and spiritual searching, with the infinite journey as a primary objective. In recent years, he has lived in places such as Madrid, Beirut and Berlin and has released two albums: ‘Corso’ (2015) and ‘En Other Places’ (2019).

There is a tendency within modern electronica to pigeonhole and categorise, to package music into easily digestible formulae. In direct revolt comes Dutch artist Satori and his new album Dreamin’ Colours, released globally April 22nd, 2022, on renowned imprint Crosstown Rebels. Recorded at the esteemed Sonic Vista Studios in Ibiza, the nine-track LP has been greatly anticipated off the back of its proceeding’s singles: Yellow Blue Bus ft. Laska, Lalai ft. Ariana Vafadari and most recently Gin Song.

An ethereal, swirling body of work, Dreamin’ Colours is rich in texture, colour and imagination. Satori stretches himself out through languorous, mystical explorations of both the digital and the analogue elements of music, the result a beautifully conspired collection of world music, steeped in electronic and Balkan roots, and straddling a multitude of genres from blues and indie electronic to opera, folk and beyond.

Colourful Dream begins proceedings, taking the form of a gently-building opener. From the pluck of a guitar string to hypnotic flute-like elements, we soon arrive at the enchanting world of Lalai ft. Ariana Vafadari. Recorded in a four-hundred-year-old water well, it showcases the transcendent sound with which Satori has become best known, meandering through rustling hats and tribal-like drum patterns whilst the dulcet tones of Ariana shimmer softly throughout.

Tuti ft. Kalima takes on a harder edge, with gritty drum patterns opening into melancholic chords early on. Kalima’s vocals add an emotive touch to the piece, paving the way for Moj Dilbere: a euphoric cut that feels tribal and reflective in one.

We land at a similarly ethereal soundscape on The Gin Song ft. Mybaby, as star-like synths pulse alongside punchy percussion before Yellow Blue Bus ft. Laska takes its place. It begins with real-life ambience, made up of sounds recorded live in Ibiza as a bus passes and birds chirp merrily in the background. This swiftly gives way to a guitar-flecked bassline, opening neatly into the vocal offerings of both Satori and Laska.

Troublemaker ft. El Mundo retains an inherent melodic quality, progressing through poignant strings and whispering kick-hat combos. Powerful and poignant, the mesmeric sounds of Ora Dea and Moshe meander subtly into Lonely Boy (Redux) ft. Hugo Oak. The closing saga brings things to a wonderfully subdued finish, rounding off the album on a wholeheartedly calming note.

Although raised in the Netherlands, where commercial electronic music is of course king, on Dreamin’ Colours it is undeniably Satori’s Balkan heritage that layers his production with dreamy, ethereal, Eastern European influences. The album’s overriding voice lies in his exultant celebration of Eastern European music, weaving vibrant threads of its earthy, melodic, rhythmic sounds into his thick musical tapestry. Written during the pandemic and driven by the ache of separated love, the album is, Satori says, his most personal yet.

From holding down an eighteen-month residency at Heart, Ibiza to having nearly four-hundred-thousand listeners on Spotify each month, Satori is a truly worldwide artist in today’s electronic music scene. Having been championed by Damian Lazarus early on in his career, he has emerged as a must-see live act for fans from all corners of the globe. November 2021 marked the start of his USA tour, where his Maktub concept adorned some of the country’s most iconic clubbing institutions, whilst his discography speaks for itself, with a plethora of acclaimed releases on labels including Crosstown Rebels, Sol Selectas and Dgtl Records to name a few. As Dreamin’ Colours introduces him to an ever-growing audience, Satori remains one of the most exhilarating, untamed and truly authentic forces in music.

Legendary Italian musician Sergio Messina serves up his 13 track Sensual Musicology on Hell Yeah this March. It comes a couple of years after he first released on the label's Buena Onda compilation and takes in everything from demented waltz to grown-up jazz, groovy beach music to heart-aching melancholia with artwork by virtuoso Italian AD DeeMo. Now based in Lombardy, Sergio was there at the birth of pirate radio in the mid-seventies and eventually produced Radio art for national broadcaster Rai. At the same time, his DJ career took off and he helped establish Hip hop in Rome before taking his own live show to the stage with a mix of PCs, samplers and tape recorders as early as 1989. Frank Zappa declared himself a fan and in the years since Sergio has done everything from radio art to producing Neapolitan reggae and hip hop band 99 Posse, producing his own solo albums and writing for monthly music magazine Rumore.

On top of this, he has both written books about and delivered lectures on the digital porno revolution, as well as teaching History of Pop Culture at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan. All this makes him a truly original creative thinking who has long been immersed in many niche facets of popular culture. Sensual Musicology took several years and four different locations to happen. Its release has been delayed by the pandemic, during which Sergio lost many friends and relatives close to him. As a result, the album is dedicated to all of them. It is a record that addresses many topics from economic migration to jazz piano, 60s blues motifs to corruption, pollution and racism via Michael Jackson covers, odes to West Coast guitar albums and spaced-out pieces of electronica. Opening with the beautifully delicate Mingus melodies of 'Goodbye Porkpie Hat' the album roams through the bluesy Italo-American-Jamaican groove of 'Amara,' slow melancholy of 'Sometimes Remember' with classy vocals from chanteuse Valeria Rossi and 'The Way You Make Me Feel', an acoustic rebuild of Michael Jackson's hit song. Then comes the serenade that is 'Just Because You're Dead,' and ‘Sono Stufa di Tutto’ which is based around a protest speech recorded from the radio in the 1980s. Jon Hassell Beach Bar' is a musical hybridisation for dancing pleasure. The second half of the album takes in 'Ouana Di lambo' which is the Four Twenties taking you to a cocktail bar in the tropics, 'Benjamino Placido' which is a melody for a man who inspired Sergio to start writing his columns, and 'Nowhere Special' which is a tribute to West Coast guitar albums. Closer ‘Switchblade Bolero' has a Zappaesque theme. Sensual Musicology is a rich and diverse musical world that is as thought-provoking and deep as it is emotionally rewarding.

For BiD006 we're very pleased to announce that renowned Artist Matt Sewell has agreed to release his fledgling audio project, Sewell & The Gong on the label.

4 guitar led mystical meanderings and deep meditations of cosmic transcendental psychedelic folk. Matt's acoustic guitar has been a fixture of his studio for many years, although nobody would ever of known as he kept it pretty much to himself. Over the years he developed a self taught, repetitive, finger picked style in hushed tones to not bother anybody. Just a quiet little part of his studio practise, calming looping melodies.

Like his art, his music is very much inspired by nature, earth magic and cosmic wanderings. His 'A Crushing Glow' compilations are pretty much a defining list of inspirations. Never heard by anybody outside of the family home that all changed after Matt started working with Newcastle based multi-instrumentalist, fellow pathfinder and astral traveler Chris Tate. Combining forces Chris helped build a beautiful world for Matt's melodies to wander in, deep and lush and always, always positive.

It only feels right that this music now gets to stretch its legs in the outside world...

The people at Antinote are always excited to introduce new names to its roster and Sign Libra, its latest addition, makes no exception to the rule.
Released under the moniker Sign Libra, Closer to the Equator is the work of Latvian artist and composer Agata Melnikova. Composed for a contemporary ballet at Latvian National Opera in Riga, the music on this record strongly relies on Melnikova’s appreciation of BBC-produced nature documentaries. Projecting the life of each creature that inhabits the British TV-program into her very personal and highly synthetized world, Sign Libra lends these microscopic beings her own voice. Each song works like a musical “tableau” in which the main protagonists – plants and animals – come on stage to play their part in a ballet carefully choreographed by the Latvian artist.
Sign Libra’s mental and musical incarnations of the microcosm of the rainforest have something to do with Software’s album populated by exotic insects and crawling plants, a “Carnaval des Animaux” released on Sky by a MIDI-addicted Hector Berlioz. These microscopic beings incarnate themselves in resonated melodies that echo through a technicolour rainforest, while winds blow through holographic ferns, vines and palms.
Closer To The Equator synthesizes visions panning treetops as the sun’s rays pierce through clouds nearby. Sign Libra takes you into a harmonic world that shines brightly wherever you stand, and offers a genuine synesthetic experience.

Another sad example of how unfair the music business can be. According to some sources, in June 1990, just a few weeks before Enigma's hugely successful track "Sadeness (Part I)" was released, Hartmut Gawehn (one half of Sloopey G.) brought a demo tape of „Domine“ to Virgin Records in Munich. The demo was quite well received, generating a great deal of interest on behalf of Virgin's A&R department. Interestingly enough, Michael Cretu of Enigma happened to have a music publishing company in the same building, just one floor above Virgin. Shortly thereafter, Enigma's "Sadeness (Part I)" was released, bearing a shamelessly striking resemblance. This "coincidence" led the production team at Furore Studio in Düsseldorf into a long and complicated legal battle over their intellectual property, which dragged on for years — but with little success for the pioneers of this sound. Here you can listen to the original tracks of the Domine production, along with a previously unreleased track from the same era. Downtempo breakbeat/house rhythms combined with religious samples and vocals — a sound that was very much ahead of its time. Get closer to God and to the truth behind the sound that helped sell so much perfume during the 90s. Must have for any true early house aficionado.

Fake Yourself is an act of revolt as much as it is a celebration of life and an expression of human alienation. As usual in most of his work, soFa here reflects contrasts and contradictions as our existence so often does. It’s about sadness and joy, ups and downs and the fine line which connects them to tell a story. Fake Yourself comes as a spontaneous output of an artist escaping a scene of which the constant superficiality is unavoidable. Mistakes and wrong production with a strong DIY flavor are a conscious choice to not lose the spontaneous feeling which defines these recordings. A pure and direct self, exploring a realm of sound with sharp curiosity, emotion and humour. Where simplicity and complexity marry. This album is a good example on how some of the most authentic musical explorations are the most personal ones. soFa leaves all boundaries behind and let many of his influences confluence. Unconsciously or not, traces of IDM, Disco, New Beat, Dub and mostly Krautrock cross heavenly paths, followed by ironic and confronted vocals and his hypnotic signature basslines. Everything seems to make sense, to fill the chapters of an adventurous short novel.

What makes Fake Yourself remarkable is not the deep blend of genres, but the definition of one man shaping and finding his authentic sound. Killing boundaries to create this journey in his very own "style-no-style".

All tunes were improvised, recorded and arranged within 10 days in a wooden cabin, isolated in the middle of the nature in Alentejo/Portugal in 2022. This album was not meant to happen and one can strongly feel its spontaneous soul. No overdubs.

Second Circle return with a special one-off album of music by Belgian producer soFa, German musician Houschyar and the legendary Turkish drummer and percussionist Okay Temiz.

elale is the result of a string of sessions that began in Istanbul in 2018, when soFa spontaneously teamed up with friend Houschyar for a series of smoky jams in the young German producer’s 5th floor apartment. soFa returned a few months later, with a plan to finish the EP, and whilst having lunch, the two decided to pay a spontaneous visit to Okay Temiz, with whom soFa had worked previously.

Welcoming the pair in the percussion workshop (Atölye) where he spends most of his days, Temiz was excited by their demos and the three of them began to jam around the tracks, with Temiz utilizing a number of his own homebuilt instruments from the workshop. The duo had now become a trio, it seems, and back in their home studio the jams would be edited and reworked; with Okay adding further overdubbing and contributions to the tracks.

Probably best known as a member of The Don Cherry Trio, for his own band Oriental Wind and for numerous collaborations with some of the best Jazz musicians in the world since the early 70ties, Temiz is considered to be one of the most innovative and outstanding musical figures in Turkey and beyond. Since first becoming a drummer, after his mother’s dreams of him becoming a trumpeter were dashed after being told his arms were too short, this amazing Turkish musician has continually pushed musical boundaries.

In this latest collaboration, Okay Temiz weaves his percussive magic through six diverse psychedelic synthesizer and drum computer jams, alongside two exciting young producers. Şelale is mixed by Dusseldorf studio wizard Gordon Pohl.